American Economic Imperialism and the Spanish- American War Era

Transcription

1 The College at Brockport: State University of New York Digital Education and Human Development Master's Theses Education and Human Development Summer 2013 American Economic Imperialism and the Spanish- American War Era Allan T. Beaman The College at Brockport, Follow this and additional works at: Part of the Education Commons To learn more about our programs visit: Repository Citation Beaman, Allan T., "American Economic Imperialism and the Spanish-American War Era" (2013). Education and Human Development Master's Theses This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Education and Human Development at Digital It has been accepted for inclusion in Education and Human Development Master's Theses by an authorized administrator of Digital For more information, please contact

2 1 American Economic Imperialism And the Spanish-American War Era By Allan T. Beaman August 2013 A thesis submitted to the Department of Education and Human Development of the State University of New York College at Brockport in partial Fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Education

3 2 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1. Title Page Table of Contents Part One: Historiography Part Two: Original Research Part Three: Connections to teaching Bibliography... 74

4 3 American Economic Imperialism and the Spanish-American War Era Allan Beaman EDI 670 Dr. Corey 8/9/13

5 4 Part One: Historiography In the spring and summer of 1898 the United States entered into a war with Spain on behalf of Cuba in order to stop the humanitarian disaster there and grant the country its independence. Cuba, a colony of Spain for 400 years, had fought for independence on and off since The war finished quickly and after a decisive military victory for the United States, they took hold of Spain s colonial possessions. America then found itself a major player on the world stage with new influence in Cuba, Puerto Rico, Guam, and the Philippines. Along with the annexation of Hawaii during the summer of 1898 the United States transformed into an imperial power. Over the past 114 years American opinion about the actions of that time took on many different adaptations. When we examine the Spanish-American War in the context of economic reasons for expansion and war, we start to see the Spanish- American War as one piece of a much larger picture. A picture that contains an American trend for expansion overseas. In order to understand the United States during the time of the Spanish- American war, we must understand the overall context of those times. The historical record explains this time as a blending of the concept of Manifest Destiny with newer interpretations of the Monroe Doctrine, new perceptions of the American character, and a crippling depression that caused labor unrest that changed the economic discussion.

6 5 In the 1890s, scholarship about U.S. expansion and naval build up from people like Frederick Jackson Turner and Alfred Thayer Mahan heavily influenced the American psyche. Frederick Jackson Turner presented his paper The Significance of the Frontier in American History to a meeting of historians and claimed that the frontier affected the American culture due to the constant change provided by developing new land as the country expanded geographically. In other words, American history had always known expansion. He writes, This perennial rebirth, this fluidity of American life, this expansion westward with its new opportunities, its continuous touch with the simplicity of primitive society, furnish the forces dominating the American character. 1 He also pointed out that the frontier officially closed according to the 1890 census. With the continental frontier closed, many Americans would begin to look outward. In The Influence of Sea Power upon History, , Alfred Thayer Mahan wrote that sea power inevitably leads to world power. He explained that the United States needed to build more ships in order to promote commerce and protect that commerce when necessary. He also pointed out the necessity of building a canal in the isthmus of Central America in order to connect the two oceans. He saw the United States as avoiding the building of a better navy due to a lack of overseas commerce and no need for hostile activity. 2 1 Turner, Frederick Jackson. The Frontier in American History. New York: Holt, Mahan, A. T. The Influence of Sea Power upon History, th ed. Boston: Little, Brown,

7 6 During the end of the 19 th century, Alfred Thayer Mahan s thesis held enormous influence over American leadership. Most important figures of the time agreed with his theory and desired more commerce with the outside world, specifically the Pacific Ocean and the markets of China. Edmund Morris, who wrote The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt, stated that Roosevelt drew inspiration from Mahan s writings and even corresponded with Mahan in Roosevelt told Mahan that he wanted to Annex Hawaii and Cuba, build twelve more naval ships, and dig the canal. 3 After Mahan s thesis spread to other politicians the American Navy grew. Mahan s ideas about the growth of the American Navy entered economic discussions after the United States experienced one of its worst depressions in Economic journalist John Tinsley wrote that this depression devastated American society causing distress throughout the country deep and wide-spread. 4 The effects of this depression spread to all parts of American society. Business closed, farmers lost land, and social uprising among workers led to drastic actions to break strikes. A rise in inflation caused gold to leave the U.S. Treasury. A free silver movement started in order to produce more money to help troubled farmers. This scared the business community that wanted to remain on the gold standard. 5 Many economists at the time believed that the depression occurred due to overproduction in 3 Morris, Edmund. The Rise of Theodore Roosevelt. New York: Coward, McCann & Geoghegan, Tinsley, John F. Depressions Past and Present. Bulletin of the Business Historical Society 7, no.2 (1933) Lossing, Benson John, and Felix Octavius Carr Darley. Our Country: A Household History for All Readers, from the Discovery of America to the Present Time. New York: Henry J. Johnson,

8 7 both industry and agriculture. In order to stabilize the economy, many believed development of foreign markets would become a necessity. Annexation and the idea of foreign investment appeared everywhere in political discussions of the 1890s. A part of these discussions included the definition of the Monroe Doctrine and if the United States should go to war over it. Frances B. Loomis observed the cultural definitions of the Monroe Doctrine five years after the war and found that the initial purpose of the doctrine in the early 1800 s involved the guarantee of freedom to all American republics. Yet, when the Yucatan wanted to give sovereignty to the United States, it also approached Spain and Great Britain. U.S. President Polk determined that the area would not transfer to any European power and thus reinterpreted the doctrine to keep out Europe regardless of the desires of independent nations. After Polk, enforcement of the Monroe Doctrine involved the North American continent in disputes with England in the region of Oregon, and again in the rise of a monarchial power movement in Mexico brought on by France. 6 By the time of the Spanish-American War, Loomis viewed the Monroe Doctrine as determining that no European power should get involved in the Western Hemisphere. The Monroe Doctrine would again take center stage when in England embroiled itself in a boundary dispute between its possession of British Guyana and the independent Venezuela in South America. President Cleveland advised arbitration and England denied it. When England continued to expand into Venezuelan territory 6 Loomis, Frances B. The Position of the United States on the American Continent-Some Phases of the Monroe Doctrine. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 22, (1903): 1-19.

9 8 Cleveland threatened war. England backed down and the dispute settled. After this event, the question of whether America should expand out into South America and the Pacific islands through the use of the military or free trade appeared in political speeches and newspaper editorials. Massachusetts senator Henry Cabot Lodge, an ardent expansionist, saw no problem with using the navy to enforce the Monroe Doctrine. In his article, England, Venezuela, and the Monroe Doctrine he argued about the potential threat to U.S. interests that English expansion would cause. He claimed that threat of war will stop England and show the rest of the world that America will not allow further European influence in the Western Hemisphere. 7 Among Lodge s other writings and speeches he proposed strong annexation of outside territories. Edward Atkinson, an economist and founder of the Anti-Imperialist League, disagreed with Lodge about the necessity of military power. On May 16, 1895, Atkinson addressed the American Peace Society about the annexation of Hawaii through peaceful means that also promoted free trade. He considered Americans to prefer peace over war and that The true American holds that the only incentive to or justification of any war on our part is that we may conquer disorder and wrong and by so doing establish peace, order and industry, to the end that in the great commerce among men and nations each may serve the other s need. 8 Atkinson believed in 7 Lodge, Henry Cabot. England, Venezuela, and the Monroe Doctrine. The North American Review 160, no. 463 (1895): Atkinson, Edward. The Neutralization of Hawaii. The Advocate of Peace ( ) 57, no.6 (1895): 125.

10 9 annexation to promote economic expansion, but he disagreed with America turning into an overtly military nation. Following the theory of Alfred Mahan, Atkinson supported a large and well functioning navy that would both promote peace and commerce while also protecting American interests when faced with threats from other nations. He called naval ships commerce protectors and not commerce destroyers. 9 Edward Atkinson would go on to help form the Anti-Imperialist League that would maintain an important role in forming public opinion and government action concerning the acquisition of new U.S. territories. 10 At the beginning of the 20 th century the publication of Our Country Illustrated provided American homes with three volumes of American history covering the time of European discovery to the end of the Spanish-American War. According to its interpretation of the War, economic factors and annexation held little sway over the greater ideal of fighting for Cuba Libre, the movement to free the Cubans who had suffered under Spanish rule and had fought an on again, off again revolution starting in According to Our Country Illustrated, three episodes caused the greatest change in American attitude towards Spain: The mistreatment of Cuban people, the publication of the De Lome letter, and the sinking of the battleship Maine. The mistreatment of the Cuban people received widespread attention in the United States. After many years of costly war between Spain and the Cuban 9 Ibid Ibid

11 10 insurgents, the Spanish government replaced General Marshal Campos with General Valeriano Weyler, a tough general who used brutal means in order to crush the insurgents. 11 Our Country Illustrated tells about General Weyler s strategies against the Cuban revolutionaries and how that entailed containment policies called reconcentracion. With this policy the Spanish army moved many Cubans from their homes into concentration camps where many suffered great hardships resulting in the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people. 12 The camps and the ill treatment of the prisoners led to a disdainful view of the Spanish leadership from many outside countries, especially the United States. After President McKinley implored about the strategy of General Weyler, and Spain faced worldwide condemnation, the removal of General Weyler occurred. Our Country Illustrated then explained that riots broke out in the city of Havana in January of The rioters, members of the volunteer Spanish army, wanted General Weyler back and destroyed newspaper offices that supported the new General s policy of autonomy for Cubans. These riots never engaged with Americans on the island, yet they provided severe discomfort to commercial interests. With concern for the future of Cuba growing in the United States, and the dangers of the revolution and riots affecting business interests there, President McKinley ordered the battleship Maine to Havana harbor in order to decrease the tension. 13 As the Maine 11 Lossing, Benson John, and Felix Octavius Carr Darley. Our Country: A Household History for All Readers, from the Discovery of America to the Present Time. New York: Henry J. Johnson, Ibid ibid

12 11 sat in the harbor, war fever continued in the United States as newspapers created sensational headlines about the crisis. Many believed that the papers pushed the issue of war onto the American public. During the second half of the 19 th century the growth of industrialization and the migration of people into the cities allowed newspaper publishing to transform into a big business in the United States. Delos Wilcox observed the social aspects and country wide establishment of the American newspaper business. By the time of the Spanish-American War, two New York City newspapers, Joseph Pulitzer s New York World and William Randolph Hearst s New York Journal competed in a nasty circulation war. Both newspapers used flashy headlines and barely researched stories in order to sell more copies. 14 These papers, and many others, drew the name Yellow Press because of how distorted their reporting turned out in attempt to sway public opinion. One major example of this technique involved the printing of the De Lome letter on February 9 th, The De Lome letter incident involved the theft and publication of a letter written by Enrique Dupuy de Lome, the Spanish minister to Washington. In the letter, De Lome criticized American honesty in dealing with Spain and also calls President McKinley weak for not standing up to hostile members of his party. Someone stole the letter and then handed it to American publishers. American public opinion of Spain sank even lower as the news of the story spread. Our Country Illustrated somewhat disagreed with this claim and claimed that American anger stayed 14 Wilcox, Delos F. The American Newspaper: A Study in Social Psychology Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 16, (1900):

13 12 relatively low over the De Lome letter. Outrage would grow far larger six days later when the Battleship Maine exploded and sank in Havana Harbor. 15 The explosion and sinking of the Maine brought about a war fever that encompassed the whole nation. On the night of February 15 th, 1898 the Maine suffered two major explosions in the front ammunition magazines and immediately sunk, claiming the lives of 266 men. Our Country Illustrated reported that the Initial survey of the disaster concluded that the crew had no fault in the explosion and that the cause probably involved an external factor like a mine in the harbor. The investigation could not find evidence of who did it, but many Americans blamed the Spanish for the disaster and demanded war. Even those who did not believe in Spain s guilt saw the Maine tragedy as an obvious sign that the situation in Cuba needed to stop and that American intervention provided the only feasible answer. 16 The United States declared war on April 25 th, McKinley claimed to enter the war for four reasons: the greater humanitarianism, protection of Americans, protection of commerce, and because Cuba s geographic closeness to the United States. Our Country Illustrated then moved on to describe the action of the Spanish- American war. This narrative of the war mirrored the conventional story. It told of the great naval victory of George Dewey over the Spanish fleet, the mass of volunteers including Theodore Roosevelt and the Rough Riders, the battles for Porto Rico, and the war in the Philippines. As a book from the era of Alfred Mahan s influence, Our 15 Lossing, Benson John. Our country Ibid

14 13 Country Illustrated contained many accounts of naval action including the names of ships and every engagement they took part in. 17 Our Country Illustrated ended right as the War concluded, so it contained nothing about the continuing conflict for the Philippines. It only mentioned that the uprising on the islands led by Emilio Aguinaldo wanted nothing other than independence, somewhat foreshadowing the trouble ahead. 18 Conflict between the United States and the insurrection in the Philippines would continue until some argue The geographic location of the Philippines in the Far East held enormous promise for commercial enterprises. Its location lied directly in the middle of the trade destinations of China, Japan, Indonesia, and the northern tip of Australia. John Barrett, a journalist and U.S. diplomat to Siam wrote an article about the future of the Philippines if war broke out between America and Spain. He saw enormous commercial potential in the islands based on his many visits to the area and interactions with the natives. The American people, I fear, do not appreciate the actual importance of the Philippines, their wealth and resources, their location and possibilities, their area and population. 19 John Barrett saw in the Philippines a promise of economic growth stemming from the geographic location of the islands and the people and resources there. Soon after the Spanish-American War started, and with a focus on the Philippines question, the anti-imperialism movement gained much support and 17 Ibid Ibid Dilke, Charles W. and John Barrett and Hugh H. Lusk. The Problem of the Philippines. The North American Review 167, No. 502 (1898): 262.

15 14 established itself as motivators of public opinion. The anti-imperialism League formed in June of 1898 by several like minded men like Edward Atkinson and George Boutwell. They supported economic growth through free trade, not through war. Most league members opposed the new ideas of imperialism because they believed that the concept of imperialism clashed with the American theory of democracy and republicanism. Boutwell, who acted as league president from 1898 to 1905 wrote in 1898, In what American precedent can this government find shelter for the doctrine that it may seize communities, exercise jurisdiction over territories and deny to the inhabitants the right? I do not say the privilege? I say the right of selfgovernment? 20 Immediately after the Spanish-American war concluded, many Americans viewed it as a favorable war that displayed American good will towards those who desired freedom and prosperity. Many viewed the war as one in which the United States did not desire, and that gaining new territory meant better commercial enterprises and promotion of good Christian ideals. The consistent historical record considered the war to mark the beginning of the United States as an imperial power. After several years passed, many historians started to re-evaluate the premise and question the actions of all of those involved. They began to see more economic interest underneath the outside image of the United States as the model of higher civilization. 20 Boutwell, George S. The Problems raised by the War. The Advocate of Peace ( ) 60, No. 10 (1898): 231.

16 15 By the 1920 s, America had dealt with the burden of imperialism in the Philippines as well as other areas of the Pacific ocean and Central and South America. The world had witnessed the destruction that imperialism could cause during World War One. Robert Dunn, a political activist who worked in the American Civil Liberty Union and a member of the communist party wrote about the massive amounts of foreign investment that the United States had spent since the 1890s. In 1928, he wrote Foreign Investments and Imperialism where he casted aside the notion of American entrance into the war as a duty to promote democracy among its new possessions. He saw the Spanish-American War as the continuation of American imperialism that started with the Mexican War. A form of imperialism based solely on the concept of American foreign investment to yield profits. He reports that the United States had developed a pro business foreign policy that promotes commercial expansion backed by the military. 21 In 1937, Marcus Wilkerson wrote Public Opinion and the Spanish-American War; a Study in War Propaganda. In this book he shows how the American press controlled public opinion through a well connected newspaper empire. He showed how newspapers sensationalized stories from Cuba in order to sell more papers. Wilkerson also claimed that reporters had little to no access to rebels on the island and had to deal with obstructive Spanish soldiers. Many of the stories faced editing that either stretched the truth or outright lied. Wilkerson s final conclusion alleged 21 Dunn, Robert W. Foreign Investments and Imperialism. Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 138, (1928):

17 16 that the periodicals that promoted yellow journalism wanted to see America enter into a war with Spain. 22 During the Great Depression many historians looked to economic reasons for the Spanish-American War. They looked at the war through the lens of the depression of 1893 and viewed where the business community stood on the options of going to war. Julius W. Pratt wrote that some American businesses did not want war because it would interfere with the economic growth occurring after five years of depression. 23 By 1898, when the trouble with Cuba grew too big to ignore the American economy had finally showed progress towards stability. Many businessmen feared that war would ruin this recent rise and could even bring back the free silver inflationary issues that cursed American domestic policy during Pratt connected these beliefs to the fact that whenever war seemed very topical the stock market would take a dip and cause greater economic fears. Anti-war businesses also proposed that raw materials were worth more in the market for commodities and construction than for use as munitions for the military. Many believed that war had no long term benefit. 24 Pratt also showed that many businesses did support the war if they had vested interests in the countries involved. American investment in sugar production led to businessmen looking for solutions to the problem in Cuba. Most sugar production 22 Wilkerson, Marcus M. Public Opinion and the Spanish-American War; a Study in War Propaganda. New York: Russell & Russell, Bailey, Thomas A. Expansionists of 1898: The Acquisition of Hawaii and the Spanish Islands by Julius W. Pratt. The American Historical Review 42. No.4 (1937): Pratt, Julius W. American Business and the Spanish-American War. The Hispanic American Historical Review 14, no.2 (1934):

18 17 received damage that cost investors $300,000,000 after three years of civil war. These growers and investors wanted a solution even if it meant war. 25 Like the free trade arguments from the anti-imperialists, most business people did not support military intervention, yet that opinion changed after war proved easier than previously believed. Pratt stated that after witnessing the sale of American overproduction to outside markets, many American businesses desired foreign markets for their goods. However, most wanted this accomplishment through peaceful initiatives like free markets instead of the conquest of colonies and costly wars. The American economy had looked to the markets of China as the future of American domination of global trade. The threat concerning American access to new markets expanded as European nations moved into China and set up tariffs and duties that hindered American trade. After the war with Spain proved easier than expected and handed over all of Spain s former colonies to America, the business community, formerly anti-imperialist, now strongly supported the idea of territorial expansion. 26 In 1959, William Appleman Williams wrote The Tragedy of American Diplomacy. In it Williams claimed that American foreign policy meant well, but faced a contradiction of imperialism and American ideals of democracy and self determination. Williams writes, They [Americans] believed deeply in the ideals they claimed, and they were sincere in arguing that their policies and actions would ultimately create a Cuba that would be responsibly self governed, economically 25 Ibid Ibid

19 18 prosperous, and socially stable and happy. All, of course, in the image of America 27 Williams also pointed out that most Americans supported economic expansion regardless of political affiliation. He points out that the crisis of the 1890 s caused the need for a solution. He mentioned the depression of 1893, the monetary dispute, and the endless strikes all over the country. He clarified that the debate concerned how to expand, not weather America should expand. Williams also pointed out that expansion, because of its means of selling surplus stock, would solve all these problems and stifle unrest, preserve democracy, and restore prosperity 28 Williams also supports the historical theme that Frederick Jackson Turner and Alfred Thayer Mahan proposed of expansion, democracy, and prosperity. By the early 1960 s many historians questioned why business leaders did not support the move toward war despite the belief that economic expansion would lead to prosperity. In the thirties, Julius Pratt concluded that business leaders opposed the war until public opinion changed after the Maine explosion. In 1960, Walter Lafeber, a student of Pratt, found evidence that in 1895 business leaders supported President Cleveland s threat of war during Venezuela s border dispute. Examining leading journals from all of the financial centers in America, LaFeber discovered that many business leaders supported President Cleveland s Venezuela message of arbitration or war in its border dispute with Great Brittan. He questioned the continuous claims of 27 Williams, William Appleman. The tragedy of American Diplomacy. Rev. and enl. ed. New York: Dell Pub. Co., ibid. 32.

20 19 historians and wondered if the business community that supported war in 1895 would oppose war with the weaker Spain in Lafeber summarized his questions and provided more evidence of American imperialist motivation in his 1963 book, The New Empire: an Interpretation of American Expansion, In it he claimed that the road to empire established itself throughout the second half of the 19 th century regardless of the colonial gains from the Spanish-American war. He contradicted the common history of the role of empire thrust upon an unwilling United States. He asserted that war had little to do with expansion and that the industrial revolution actually created the environment of desire for expanding markets in order to keep the industrial economy working. 30 LaFeber also added to his earlier research by providing examples of business leaders supporting the idea of war, and claimed that those with anti-war beliefs based their opinions on the rapid fluctuations of stock market investments. He found that the businessmen in New York City primarily composed those that did not support going to war. He found that Businesses elsewhere in the country agreed with expansion even at the cost of war. 31 In 1972 Robert Zevin, following Dunn, Pratt, and Lafeber, observed the Spanish-American war as just another step in American imperialism. With the 29 Lafeber, Walter. The American Business Community and Cleveland's Venezuelan Message. The Business History Review 34, no.4 (1960): LaFeber, Walter. The New Empire: an Interpretation of American Expansion, Ithaca: Cornell university press, ibid

21 20 Vietnam War still at full speed, Zevin pointed out the numerous cases of American military or political interference in the Western Hemisphere from the time of the original thirteen colonies to Vietnam. Zevin adopted a Marxist approach to the definition of imperialism and wrote with the same conviction of Robert Dunn. He argued that American involvement occurred in almost every country in the Western hemisphere and around the world. He stated the theory that expansion dominated American foreign policy and that the Spanish-American war just provided more territory for American ships of commerce and the warships to protect them. Zevin added that the military might of the American Navy and Marines engaged many countries in order to participate in rebellions, or crush them based on what side provided favorable interests to the United States. 32 In 1980, Howard Zinn published A People s History of the United States, a controversial book that told the history of the United States from the perspective of the common people. Like Zevin and Dunn, Howard Zinn focused on the many episodes of American use of force in their expansion. He also repeated the economic argument that the policy of expansion would increase markets for overproduced goods. Zinn however created a new thesis that claimed that the government and elites in America accepted the war because it would distract the disgruntled lower classes from causing labor disputes and refocus their anger on a foreign enemy. He stoped 32 Zevin, Robert. An Interpretation of American Imperialism. The Journal of Economic History 32, no.1 (1972):

22 21 short of calling it a conspiracy, instead deemed it a natural development from the twin drives of capitalism and nationalism. 33 In 1983, Gary Marotta examined the academic response to imperialism through examining three learned societies. He analyzed and reviewed the debates over the Philippines within the American Historical Association, the American Economic Association, and the American Academy of Political and Social Science. The academic societies of America during the Spanish-American war and the years following primarily believed that imperialism would provide a means of selling surplus goods for profit and raising investment that would reap greater profits. More markets would also keep factories running and help both capital and labor issues. Marotta also pointed out that many scholars believed that expansion would spread freedom and liberty across its large empire. Like the writings of the historians before him, Marotta proved that Academics also felt that the colonial gains of 1898 were not the beginning of American colonialism, but rather a growth of earlier expansionist precedent. Despite an academic movement of anti-imperialists, the expansionist scholars dominated the discussion. 34 When the Spanish-American war celebrated its one hundredth anniversary in 1998 the concepts of social and cultural history dominated the writings about it. David Traxel wrote 1898: the Birth of the American Century, a book on the events of 33 Zinn, Howard. A People's History of the United States: 1492-Present. Originally published: New York: Marotta, Gary. The Academic Mind and the Rise of U.S. Imperialism: Historians and Economists as Publicists for Ideas of Colonial Expansion. The American Journal of Economics and Sociology 42, no.2 (1983):

23 22 the whole year of 1898 including the dominance of industry, the first corporations, the war fever, and the celebration after. Traxel unfortunately does not dedicate enough time to context and merely reports the facts he collected from the time period. He does explain the formation of the Anti-Imperialist League by Edward Atkinson, George Boutwell, Andrew Carnegie, and others. 35 Traxel wrote that Andrew Carnegie showed concern for U.S. imperialism due to its possible unpopularity with American voters who may pick William Jennings Bryan over McKinley in the next election. Bryan s anti-imperialism advocacy could win his election that would then bring back free silver issues that would destroy the industrial economy that he [Carnegie] and his peers had dedicated themselves to building 36 Traxel fails to elaborate on this theme and seems to pass it off as just an Andrew Carnegie story. The whole episode supported earlier research that claimed that Business leaders viewed the trouble in Cuba as having the potential to destroy the gains made in the economy since the depression of Also during the centennial of the Spanish-American war some historians started to see patterns showing the emergence of a new, distinctly American form of imperialism, one which assumed that commercial development and moral tutelage were twin imperative 37 In 1995, Anders Stephenson explored the impact of manifest Destiny on American history in the aptly titled Manifest Destiny. He supported the idea of Christian evangelism as a prominent reason for imperialism and pointed out how this belief formed the support for the war as a humanitarian act to aid the weak 35 Traxel, David. 1898: the Birth of the American Century. (New York: A.A. Knopf, 1998), Ibid Tuason, Julie A. The Ideology of Empire in National Geographic Magazine's Coverage of the Philippines, Geographical Review 89, no. 1 (1999): 35.

24 23 Cubans against the tyrannical Spain. He also gave details of an American opinion of superiority and that the United States never sought the opinions of the Cubans about the future of their own country. During the Venezuela crisis of and the war for Cuban independence, the United States never talked with Venezuela or Cuba. Instead, they worked only with Great Brittan and Spain respectively. 38 In The War of 1898, Louis A. Perez wrote an incredible historiography of U.S. and Cuban relations. He proved that the United States looked at Cuba as a future prospect for annexation since the beginning of the republic. He did not question that America rushed to support Cuba against the brutal Spain and proved it through several examples of cultural paraphernalia like music and the yellow press. However, Perez also proved that the United States quickly forgot about the goodwill when it came time to leave the island to itself. He discussed the Teller amendment that promised that the United States would not annex Cuba and would leave when America considered it pacified. He showed that the definition of pacify came to mean staying in Cuba until everything developed there had American influence. He then discussed the Platt amendment, that allowed the United States to intervene in Cuba if order fell apart there. Again, Perez showed the good will of the Teller amendment faded into the imperialism of the Platt amendment. Like Stephanson, he also 38 Stephanson, Anders. Manifest Destiny: American Expansionism and the Empire of Right (1. ed.). New York: Hill and Wang, 1995.

25 24 questioned why the Cuban voice had no involvement in the peace treaty or the political and economic organization on the island. 39 Other authors saw the trend of combining manifest destiny and economic expansion in the foreign policy actions during the turn of the century. Julie Tuason explained that American public opinion about imperialism in regards to the annexation of the Philippines transformed from one of American economic strength in the Pacific to an ideology of developing the country into a sound free and liberal democracy. Tuason proved this by examining the National Geographic magazines published from 1898 to She showed the trend of the magazine from publishing stories of economic possibilities into reporting on progress enlightening the native population. Tuason pointed out that many American investors on the islands saw the native population as lazy and incapable of working hard and requiring more American ideals. She credited the rise of the Anti-Imperialism movement for the change in reporting and later related it to the rise of progressivism in the United States. 40 As in other decades a predominant theme arose in the volumes of historical research. After the United States entry into the second Iraq War, a large anti-war movement began. Many historians in the 2000 s looked to the dissent of the anti-war movement in the 1890 s. Piero Gleijeses examined the anti-war press opinions before and during the Spanish-American War to conclude that the anti-war sentiment proved 39 Pérez, Louis A. The war of 1898: the United States and Cuba in history and historiography. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, Tuason, Julie A. The Ideology of Empire in National Geographic

26 25 large yet could not change the course of American involvement in war with Spain. 41 Gleijeses also reported the reoccurring theme of conservative economic fears about the cost of war spoiling the economy that had steadily grown since the depression of He also claimed that annexing the Philippines in order to open the markets of China receives no mention in the press or in government until after Dewey defeated the Spanish navy. Prior to the battle at Manila Bay, most expansionists with goals for China only desired a canal through Central America and the annexation of Hawaii. 42 Robert Mann also looked to wartime dissent during the Spanish-American war with an obvious focus on the Anti-Imperialist League and the fight for the Philippines. He explained that the League printed propaganda pamphlets containing letters from soldiers that attest to not only the brutality involved in suppressing the insurgency, but also the doubts of the soldiers about the morality and brutality of their mission. 43 The American occupation army in the Philippines began committing brutal acts like the Spanish had committed in Cuba that brought the U.S. into the war in the first place. Just as propaganda helped persuade Americans to support the war, it also generated dissent Gleijeses, Piero. 1898: The Opposition to the Spanish-American War. Journal of Latin American Studies 35, no.4 (2003): Ibid Mann, Robert. Wartime Dissent in America: a History and Anthology. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, Ibid. 63.

27 26 Eugene Secunda and Terence P Moran wrote Selling War to America, an examination of how the United States government used the media to alter public opinion. He said that the Spanish-American War differed from later wars because the government did not need to sell it; the press did it for them. After the Maine sank, popular opinion wanted a war that President McKinley lacked the means to produce. Secunda added that the immediate success of the naval battle produced grand reporting of the American navy s success. After the charge of the Rough Riders made Theodore Roosevelt famous, Secunda claimed that the McKinley administration benefited from the quick victories in the Caribbean that provided the Americans with new heroes and heroics 45 McKinley would win his reelection and Roosevelt would campaign on his war hero image as Vice President. Margaret O Connor wrote about the Spanish-American war from the viewpoint of letters written from soldiers to their home in Nebraska. The letters describe the reality of fighting in the war in Cuba. They detailed the barracks that they lived in and the trouble of rotten food and disease from the tropical island. O Connor explained that the war brought about large groups of volunteers who had never traveled far from their homes. Some of the soldiers O Connor wrote about had never even seen the ocean. The army composed of makeshift arrangements and inadequate vehicles for moving large armies Secunda, Eugene, and Terence P. Moran. Selling War to America: from the Spanish American War to the Global War on Terror. Westport, Conn.: Praeger Security International, O'Connor, Margaret Anne. The Not-So-Great War. Cather Studies 6, no.1 (2006):

28 27 Another theme of the historical record of the Spanish-American War involves the concept that it provided a watershed moment in American history. Margaret O Connor established it, and David Traxel wrote a whole book on it. O Connor pointed out that the Spanish-American war was one of the first modern wars. The technology used during the war would prove quite efficient in the combat of the twentieth century. Technology like hot air balloons for surveillance, film cameras to capture footage from battle, and the use of the Gatling gun would all become necessities in later warfare. Over the ensuing years after the war, the American military would grow exponentially allowing continuous involvement in world affairs. 47 The historiography of the United States imperialist expansion and the Spanish-American War Era grows increasingly every year. With this research we see trends appear and theories fade away based sometimes on the viewpoints provided by the context of the decades of publication. The further we move away from the original time frame the clearer the picture becomes as more research provides different viewpoints. For many years the Spanish-American war represented the beginning of America s new role as an imperialist nation. Some still promote this theory as the record shows. Yet, many modern authors now see another side of the story. To some, the Spanish-American War blended into many other themes and events from the time to form one representative whole of consistent national policy. 47 Ibid

29 28 Part Two: Original Research A Noble Imperialism An Examination of the Republican Editorials of the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle From 1898 The historiography of the United States foreign policy during 1898 focuses on an era when empire came to the U.S. unexpectedly. Over time other observations and reasons developed concerning American commercial interests driving the movement. The historical sources support these new conclusions when observed for repetitive themes. One source, the editorial pages of the Democrat and Chronicle printed in Rochester, New York supports this commerce driving theory. In these editorials we find evidence that the original goal of promoting humane treatment to the Spanish colony of Cuba transformed into a desire to expand commercially into the Pacific Ocean and China after the Battle of Manila Bay in the Philippines. The history of the Spanish American War and the year 1898 includes a well known timeline. By early January of 1898, Spanish loyalists and soldiers on the

30 29 Spanish colony of Cuba started riots over the failure of autonomy. These riots provoked the United States to send the U.S.S. Maine warship to Havana harbor to protect American interests. On February 9 th the publication of the DeLome letter, with its harsh criticism of President McKinley, upset Americans. The U.S.S. Maine then exploded in Havana Harbor on February 15, killing 266 American sailors and causing a dramatic rise in patriotism, war fever, and eventual war preparation. McKinley received a declaration of war from congress and the U.S. proceeded to sink the Spanish fleet in the Philippines and removed them from Cuba. Fighting ended on August 12 th and the Treaty of Paris formally ended the war on December 10 th, Along with these events there involves a larger context of naval growth and American expansion concerning the annexation of Hawaii. As history passed, the year 1898 represented the era of American imperialism with the annexation of Puerto Rico, Guam, The Philippines, Hawaii, and the building of a naval base on Cuba. In order to examine the larger context of American expansion in the year 1898, I read 118 editorials from the Democrat and Chronicle from January 1, 1898 to July 16, These dates encompass the beginning of the failed Cuban Autonomy to the weeks following the annexation of Hawaii. This timeframe represents a focus on the expansionist ideas that immediately formed after the defeat of the Spanish Navy in the Philippines and the annexation of Hawaii. This time represents a period where expansion looked inevitable, or at least very tempting. The Democrat and Chronicle provided, and still provides news to the people of Rochester, New York, a smaller industrial city that grew after the advent of the Erie Canal. During my research I only chose articles discussing economic and

31 30 military expansion, annexation of Hawaii, the crisis in Cuba, The Philippines, and/or Puerto Rico. For the first half of 1898, one or more of these topics appeared in the editorial section every day. To observe for trends I coded the editorials under the topics of economic expansion, military expansion, the promotion of American principles, European involvement, and stock market updates. I eventually noticed the fluctuating trends of opinion as the events of 1898 unfolded. I also discovered more about the context of 1898 and the political opinions of the Democrat and Chronicle. The editorials and papers from 1898 bring to life the world of 1898 in Rochester, New York. All of the historical items and problems we currently discuss about this era appear in the newspaper articles. The editorial staff, including William Adolphe Gracey, Edward Milton Foote, and others, commented on all of the topical issues such as the monetary problems involving the coining of silver, fluctuating stock market prices, the importance of building a new navy, and the battle with the yellow press. Outside of the topical importance of these issues, I also examined a completely different world without cars or modern entertainment like the television or even radio. Many articles focused on the growing leisure trend of riding bicycles and the proper ways for women to dress in the latest fashions. The editorial page of the Democrat and Chronicle provides excellent primary source material on the events of However, much of the opinion presented in the newspaper contained strong political bias. Like many newspapers published in the late 19 th century, the Democrat and Chronicle contained a one sided opinion and argued with rival papers. In 1898, the paper provided an opinion following the Republican party of the late 19 th century. It

32 31 disagreed with the Democrat policies of William Jennings Bryan and any promotion of coining silver. It supported the Cuban freedom fighters calling them patriots on many occasions. The promotion of American patriotism also fell into many of the articles chosen. The editors also supported the annexation of Hawaii by its own free will and of its own motion 48 Its reputation included promoting A vast Pacific commerce, a vast American merchant marine on Pacific waters, a great fleet to protect them, and the American flag floating over Hawaii in mid-ocean 49 For its rival publication, The Democrat and Chronicle primarily targeted the New York Evening Post with criticism in at least 15 of my selected articles. The New York Evening Post, edited by E. L. Godkin in 1898, opposed U.S. intervention into Cuba and annexation of Hawaii. In Rochester the Republican ideology made for a successful newspaper as the Democrat and Chronicle maintained a large circulation and claimed no equal in fullness and reliability by any newspaper west of New York City. 50 In the words of famous Rochester Historian Blake McKelvy the Democrat and Chronicle appeared at all times the official Republican journal. 51 The paper Began 1898 in the heart of discussing Cuban independence and the annexation of Hawaii. Through the first half of January 1898, the Democrat and Chronicle editorial board dedicated most of their discussion to stories and details about the terrible treatment of Cubans in the reconcentracion camps and Hawaiian annexation. The 48 A British Argument for Annexation, Democrat and Chronicle, January 15, 1898, Osborne, Thomas J.. "Trade or War? America's Annexation of Hawaii Reconsidered." Pacific Historical Review50, no. 3 (1981): p In the Lead, Democrat and Chronicle, February 20, 1898, McKelvey, Blake. "Rochester's Historical Trends: An Historical View." Rochester History 14, no. 2 (1952). P.9.

33 32 opinions bordered on patriotic duty to remove Spain and allow Cubans to run their own country. On the subject of business one article questioned why the U.S. conceded to Spain and would not allow American business to trade directly with the Cuban insurgents when other European countries definitely permitted it. 52 Another editorial challenged German claims that U.S. actions in the Western Hemisphere aim for annexation of Cuba and the rest of West Indian possessions of European powers. 53 The author disputed the claim and accepted the challenge standing behind the new superior navy that the U.S. produced. In mid January, Spanish soldiers and supporters of Spanish rule in Cuba started riots in front of newspaper offices that supported the Cuban insurrection. The riots proved two things to many Americans: That Spain lost control of her colony, and that American commercial interests faced extreme danger. Under the title The Serious Situation in Havana the author predicted that if the rioters get the upper hand the American residents would be in serious peril, and that hatred for [the U.S.] appears to be the chief animating cause of the recent outbreak. 54 Another editorial written three days later somewhat disagreed and explained that the riots indirectly targeted the U.S. due to the intimidation of the impending naval attack that would then ensue. 55 On the same page contained an article that criticized naval and military preparedness, stating that naval growth stopped and the U.S. lacked preparation for the foreseeable emergencies soon to come. 56 The contradiction between possessing a great Navy and also an inadequate one appeared many times in the editorials of Trade with the Cuban Patriots, Democrat and Chronicle, January 1, 1898, Our Enemies in Europe, Democrat and Chronicle, January 1, 1898, The Serious Situation in Havana, Democrat and Chronicle, January 14, 1898, General Blanco in Danger, Democrat and Chronicle, January 17, 1898, Apathy in Naval and Military preparation, Democrat and Chronicle, January 22, 1898, 6.